Preparing potash and soda



G. THOMPSON.

Making Alkalies.

No. 13,325. Patented My 24, 1855.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. THOMPSON, OF EAST TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA.

PREPARING POTASH AND SODA.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,325, dated July 24, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE THOMPSON, of East Tarentum, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Caustic Soda and Potash; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of the tray in whch I cast or mold the melted soda or potash. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the sector by means of which I divide the melted soda or potash into cakes of equal size and weight. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the sector, placed inside its tray.

The nature of my invention consists in the mode, hereinafter described, of dividing potash or caustic soda, while in a melted state into pieces of uniform shape, size and weight. Caustic soda or potash being a highly concentrated alkali, the use of which in the arts and manufactures is well known, would prove also a valuable article for family and other uses, if it were not that if exposed for any length of time to the action of the atmosphere will deliquesce, and not only become unfit for use, but destroy articles with which it may come in contact. If however it can be put up in small packages of uniform size and weight, and easily inclosed in air tight coverings or cases, it would at once become a highly useful and convenient article, and could be kept on hand for household and other purposes. An obstacle hitherto insurmountable, and which has prevented the use of it, arises from the difliculty experienced in dividing the caustic soda or potash into small packages of convenient and uniform size and weight. If it is attempted to cast it while hot into molds of uniform size, they will not necessarily be of uniform, or any regular weight, owing to the bubbles of air or steam which rise in it and would render this mode of division unequal and uncertain.

My invention is designed to obviate all these defiiculties, and in order to enable others to make and use it, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I place a shallow tray, a, Fig. 1, made of iron or other suitable material, on a platform scale. This tray has a bottom and four sides, but no top or cover. A sector I), Fig. 2, also made of iron and fitting exactly into the tray (1 (see Fig. 3) is divided into any convenient number of equal divisions, or compartments, by pieces crossing each other at right angles. The sector is made all in one piece. The lower edge of all the cross pieces is thin, while the upper edge is thicker in order to give strength to the whole. The melted soda or potash is then poured by a ladle into the tray which is placed on the platform of the scales. If it is desired to divide the caustic soda into parcels weighing one pound each, the scale is set to the same number of pounds as there are compartments in the sector, adding of course the weight of the tray itself. When the scale turns, the right quantity of melted soda being in the tray, the sector is immediately, while the caustic soda is yet liquid, inserted in the tray, with the thin edges of the cross pieces downward. The sector drops down in the tray until the lower edges of the cross pieces forming the sides of the compartments rest on the bottom of the tray. So soon as the soda has become sufficiently cool and hard the sector is raised out of the tray and the pieces of soda which are all of uniform size, shape and weight are removed from their compartments. As there were as many pounds of soda poured into the tray as there are compartments in the sector, of course each piece weighs exactly one pound. The weight may of course be varied at pleasure in the manner indicated. The cakes of soda or potash being thus prepared, are, as soon as they become sufliciently cool and solid, inclosed in some airtight case or wrapper to prevent its deliquescing, which would otherwise speedily ensue. In this state when thus protected it is ready for use. As these packets may be made as small as desired, a supply of them may be kept in the house for use from time to time as needed, for the manufacture of soap, or the various uses to which potash or caustic soda may be applied.

Having thus described my improvement what I claim as my invention and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- The use of a tray and sector constructed as hereinbefore described for the purpose of dividing caustic soda or potash in pareels of convenient size and shape and of uniform weight.

GEORGE THOMPSON. Witnesses:

WM. N. HOWARD,

N. BUOKMASTER. 

